Monday, July 7, 2014

Carmelo Anthony’s decision has always been framed as winning vs. money --- if he wants the money New York has the most of it. But that
is simplistic. Money matters, so does the team and if they can win, but
so does lifestyle, what makes your family happy, weather and more.
Think about your big life decisions, it’s a balancing act between all
those things and where you place the priorities.

Carmelo Anthony is torn on this. That’s clear from the fact that after thinking about it for a weekend we don’t have a decision.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News spoke to someone reportedly close to Anthony who said the star is really torn between the offers from the Knicks, Lakers and Bulls.

Anthony, 30, is still debating his next move with the
Knicks, Lakers and the Bulls as his top three choices, the source
claims. Chicago is still in the running despite the fact that the Bulls,
barring a sign-and-trade, cannot come close to matching the max deals
the Knicks and Lakers offered Anthony last week. However, the Bulls do
allow Anthony to stay in the Eastern Conference, play in the large
market and join a contending team.

Knicks president Phil Jackson, despite hints to the contrary, offered
Anthony a max deal of five years, $129 million. The best the Bulls can
do is $75 million over four years. If it was just about taking the most
money, Anthony already would have announced his intentions to rejoin the
Knicks. But Anthony is intrigued by the Bulls as well as the Lakers,
who have the ability to give Anthony a max deal ($96 million) over four
years. Anthony also lives in Los Angeles during the off-season and is
friends with Kobe Bryant.

Winning matters, but would you leave nearly $55 million on the table
for a shot at a ring? That is a lot of scratch, no matter how much you
have already made.

The Lakers and Knicks offer variations on the rebuilding team idea —
Anthony gets paid big money and is a superstar in a major market (with
all the off-the-court advantages that come with it). He already has
homes in both cities. Both those teams are a few steps from contention,
however. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and could bring back Pau Gasol. The Knicks are in the East but it will take a couple
years to fix their cap issues.

Still, expectations are an Anthony decision will come sooner rather than later.

As it has always been for Anthony, it comes down to what really
matters most to him. Where he will feel the most comfortable, where his
family will feel the most comfortable. And that’s not always an easy,
clear-cut decision.